Carol Heft
Education
- Rhode Island School of Design, BFA
- Hunter College MS.Ed
Teaching Interests
I teach drawing because it sharpens attention and encourages thoughtful engagement with the world. In my classes, I emphasize observation as a way of thinking, not simply a means of making accurate images. Students learn to slow down, look closely, and use drawing to better understand what they see and experience.
I balance foundational skills—such as proportion, structure, value, and space—with open-ended exploration. Assignments are designed to support students at different skill levels while encouraging experimentation, revision, and risk-taking. I focus on process rather than perfection, helping students build confidence and develop an individual visual language.
Within Muhlenberg’s liberal arts environment, I teach drawing as an interdisciplinary practice that connects visual perception, personal experience, and place. Through regular practice, critique, and individual feedback, my goal is for students to leave my classes with stronger skills, increased curiosity, and a lasting appreciation for drawing as a meaningful way of learning and inquiry.
Research and Scholarship
I’m interested in drawing as a way of understanding place through sustained attention. My creative work focuses on landscape and everyday environments, developed through repeated observation over time. I work slowly and often return to the same locations in order to notice subtle changes and deepen my understanding of what I see.
I’m interested in drawing as both a finished artwork and a form of visual research. Working in series allows small shifts in light, weather, memory, and perspective to accumulate, revealing how experience and presence shape perception.
I’m also interested in how creative practice functions within a liberal arts context. I see studio work, reflection, and writing as interconnected forms of inquiry that support curiosity, rigor, and long-term engagement with the world.
- Drawing I
- Drawing II
- Fulbright Specialist, Art Education Workshop, Palacký University, Czech Republic (2023)
- Florence Leif Award for Outstanding Senior Painter, Rhode Island School of Design (1976)
- Honors, Rhode Island School of Design (1975–76)
- Honorable Mention, National Spring Open Juried Exhibition, Wayne Art Center (2000)
- Featured Artist, Epicenter NYC, review by Nitin Mukul (2024)
- Artist profile, The Cafe Review, Summer Issue (2023)
- Fulbright Specialist Workshop, Adapting Art Education to Diverse Populations, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic (2023)
- Staff writer and editor, High Art Fridays, online global arts publication (2018–present)
Art
Contact: cheft@muhlenberg.edu